I was reminded this weekend of the genocide in Rwanda 30 years ago this summer.
You might ask yourself, what on Earth reminded you of that? Is it because right now our news coverage is rife with the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East?
Did you know there are a number of conflicts going on worldwide? Sudan and Syria to name just two. Are we talking about them? Not really. Not as much as we should. Why is that?
Why is that.....
Think about it.
People in "those" countries aren't like "us" in the developed world, are they? No, they aren't.
But they are.
For those who know nothing - or not much - about the Rwandan genocide, let me describe it briefly and also share a personal story.
There are two predominant groups in Rwanda - Hutu and Tutsi. Prior to 1994, the Hutu were in power and had been in power for a number of years. The Tutsi, as the group with less power, had been discriminated against for years by the Hutu. They were targeted, killed and imprisoned because of their ethnicity. A civil war then ensued led by militant Tutsi. The turning point? in 1994, then Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana’s plane was shot down. Hutus were outraged.
For approximately 100 days in 1994, the Hutu military slaughtered over 1 million ethnic Tutsi. That's about 10,000 people per day. People ratted out their neighbors to save themselves - a witch hunt to be sure. Friends became enemies. Fingers were pointed and carnage ensued.
[To be fair, the above is an oversimplification of the conflict. Now that I have piqued your interest, consider reading more about it.]
I have had the incredible good fortune to visit and work in Africa, specifically Uganda. For those who are geographically challenged, Uganda is in East Africa and abuts Rwanda. I worked in southern Uganda not far from the border with Tanzania, not far from Lake Victoria. Overlooking Lake Victoria, the Kasensero Site is one of the Rwandan Genocide Memorials. I had the opportunity to visit this memorial about a decade ago. It is set on a hillside overlooking Lake Victoria. The setting is spectacular, peaceful and serene. It is a mass grave.
The Kasensero Rwanda Genocide Memorial Site. Each of the stone graves contains several hundred genocide victims buried beneath.
The Kasensero Rwanda Genocide Memorial Site. Each of the stone graves contains several hundred genocide victims buried beneath.
As peaceful as it is, it is also alarming. Several thousand people are buried here. We were able to see the river that runs into Lake Victoria from Rwanda. It is said that several hundred people a day floated down that river into Lake Victoria. So many that the locals had to do something so they took them from the water and provided a proper burial - or as proper as you can when there are that many.
As we drove through the area we could see different homes and different people. Our guides pointed out the differences in homes that are traditional Ugandan homes versus those that are typically Rwandan. Ugandan homes are squared and made from mud/sand bricks while Rwandan homes are thatched and rounded. Ugandans are typically shorter (at 5'11", I am taller than most of our colleagues in Uganda) while ethic Tutsis are much taller. As we drove, our guides pointed out those who likely survived the genocide. They were lucky enough to flee their native Rwanda and make their way - and their homes - in Uganda.
When I see conflicts escalating around the world and I see what conflicts get the most notice, I am often reminded of my time in Uganda. I am reminded of the genocide that no one neither remembers nor heard of in the first place. I think about what it must be like to be the "other," the group not in power. The group no one acknowledges. We see oppression of the "other" in many areas of the world including those that generate the most newspaper ink.
Let's not forget that we are all human beings and all deserving of respect. We deserve to live freely and safely. We all want to make sure our families and friends are safe. We want someplace to live; appropriate shelter. We want food on the table (we would like a table but will take food without it if need be). We want fresh, clean drinking water. We want relationships. We want community. Don't we all deserve those things?
Yet too often I see the group in power abusing that power for their own gain. Several folks have written about the power group reluctant to relinquish that power because they are fearful that the "lesser" group will then take charge and do to them what they had done. Um, that should be telling enough.
This dominant group also crafts the narrative. Remember the quote "history is written by victors" often attributed to Winston Churchill? Remember that Churchill is, himself, a victor. If something seems out of place, check it out.
One of the reasons disinformation is created and spread is because we are fearful of the unknown and that includes the "other." We don't know much about them. We know they are different because they look different, they act different, they live different, they eat different, they (insert your own statement) different. Perhaps we create false narratives because it puts us at ease. Perhaps we believe false narratives for the same reason. We have surrounded ourselves with the friend and family "bubble" that keeps us safe and warm. We are fed our diet of ignorance.
But does it really keep us safe? We aren't safe if we are fearful. We aren't safe if we are ignorant. We aren't safe if we don't understand. We don't have to agree with the choices made by others, but can we respect that they have the right to make those choices? I hope so. (Caveat: provided those choices are legal and ethical. I say "and" because something could be legal and not ethical.)
Whenever you see something written about a group different from your own treat it as you would any news item. Do your due diligence and seek the truth. Who is the source? Why was it written/said? What could that person gain? Is it the truth? You might think it's harmless to hate but hate killed 1 million people in 100 days 30 years ago. Hate continues to kill people today. Hate distorts our thinking.
As much as possible I try to connect with people outside my usual bubble. I try to learn about what is going on in the world. It is important to me to understand. On that same note, I also try to understand the conflicts that make the news. I have been reading about the history of Israel and Palestine. I try to understand what's happening between Ukraine and Russia. I seek out others who have experience and knowledge. I also seek out information about the conflicts in Sudan, Syria and other places. Additionally, I don't have to travel too far from home to see conflict stirring in our own country. I try to understand why people believe as they do and try to craft messaging to support the truth.
First I have to find the truth.
And I won't stop until I have.
I have several new subscribers since the last issue of this newsletter. Thank you to everyone for sticking with me and for finding me in the first place. If you like this newsletter, please tell your friends. I will share thoughts and insights in this space about disinformation, why people believe, and how we can communicate with them.
You may also purchase my book, Fake News, Witch Hunts & Conspiracy Theories: An Infodemiologist's Guide to the Truth for much more information.
Take care.
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